Teicher: Welbourn moving back to guard - Page 3

tk13 · 03-29-2005, 02:17 AM

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/11253775.htm

Welbourn will be heading back to guard

By ADAM TEICHER

The Kansas City Star

The Chiefs traded with Philadelphia last year for John Welbourn hoping he could be a suitable replacement at right tackle for the departed John Tait.

The move was a gamble in the sense that Welbourn had been a guard for most of his NFL career. The position change didn't go as smoothly as the Chiefs hoped, and they will move Welbourn back to guard, where he will serve as a backup to starters Brian Waters and Will Shields.

“Will Shields hasn't told me 100 percent that he plans to return, though I think he will,” Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil said. “At the same time, John is just better equipped to play guard. Now, if it ends up that he's our best right tackle, he'll play right tackle.”

Shields and Willie Roaf, who would both begin their 13th seasons this fall, indicated late last season that they would be back for 2005.

The Chiefs have no shortage of candidates to be their new right tackle. Jordan Black, who started four games late last season, will probably get the first shot, but the Chiefs will also give a long look to Kevin Sampson.

Chris Bober could also wind up with the job, but the Chiefs appear more comfortable with him as the backup to Casey Wiegmann at center. All three players are athletic and fit the Chiefs' right-tackle mold better than Welbourn, who is more physical than the others.

The Chiefs sent this year's third-round pick to the Eagles for Welbourn. That pick otherwise could have been used to bridge the gap in trade talks between the Chiefs and Miami regarding cornerback Patrick Surtain.

The Dolphins are asking for the Chiefs' second-round pick, and the Chiefs have reportedly offered a fourth-rounder. The Chiefs recently gained a third-round compensatory pick from the NFL to cover Tait's loss in free-agency, but comp picks can't be traded.

Having the extra pick, however, could make the Chiefs more comfortable in trading their second-round choice.

Injury updates

The Chiefs have several players who ended last season on the injured-reserve list or are in various stages of rehabilitation. Here is a look at the progress of several key players:

• Tight end Tony Gonzalez had foot surgery after the end of the season, but the Chiefs expect him to be ready for their June minicamp.

• Halfback Priest Holmes should have no issues with the knee injury that cost him the last half of last season. He has told Vermeil he will continue to train at home in Texas rather than join the Chiefs for their offseason conditioning program, which started Monday.

“Priest Holmes has always done what he's said he was going to do and been ready when he said he was going to be ready,” Vermeil said. “He tells me he's doing fine, so as far as I'm concerned he's doing fine.”

Holmes may join the Chiefs when practices begin in May.

• Wide receiver Marc Boerigter, who missed all of last season because of a knee injury, should be ready by training camp — and perhaps in time for minicamp.

• The Chiefs expect linebacker Shawn Barber to begin training camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list.

• Vermeil was hopeful but not definitive about linebacker Mike Maslowski, who missed the last season and a half because of knee ailments.

“All reports are good,” Vermeil said. “He seems to be progressing nicely. But none of the medical people have said with definition when he'll be ready. Knowing Maslowski, you'd have to say he'll be ready for training camp.”

Offseason program

The Chiefs opened their offseason program with a team meeting and barbecue. The events provided a welcome break for Vermeil after a solid three months spent on player evaluation.

“Sometimes when the players aren't around, you lose sight of the business you're in,” he said. “It's all about helping them be what they have the ability to be.”

**Fire Me Boy!** · 03-29-2005, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patteeu

Dont' get too concerned. From the article:

"... they will move Welbourn back to guard, where he will serve as a backup to starters Brian Waters and Will Shields."

Not concerned... I said I misread the quote. Call me stupid.

Hoover · 03-29-2005, 09:34 AM

Maz is like a dog on his last leg, its time to put him down.

philfree · 03-29-2005, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rufusmaqe

Yeah, he looked great running 10 yards behind Shannon Sharpe as he set single-game records for a TE...

Lunch pail guys don't win championships...

Yeah, well, except for the Patriots. Didn't they try to sign Maz away a couple years ago but we matched?

I never thought Maz would make it as a starter but he was proving me wrong until his knee problems started. He's not a three down MLB IMO though and Robinson was an idiot for having him on Sharpe. I wonder what kind of kickback he got for that?

PhilFree

**Rain Man** · 03-29-2005, 09:41 AM

Maz is coming back? Cool. I think he's better than he's given credit for.

**DaKCMan AP** · 03-29-2005, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiefnj

How many middle linebackers in the league can keep up with top TE's on downfield patterns? Where was the secondary help?

I bet RIch Scanlon could

KCFalcon59 · 03-29-2005, 10:06 AM

If Maz has a place on this team it should be on special teams.

Hoover · 03-29-2005, 10:21 AM

Its time for the Chiefs to move on.

On Welbourn moving back to Gaurd I think its great. Its too bad he could not hold down the RT spot, but I'm excited to see Black become the man.

HipHopper4Life · 03-29-2005, 10:25 AM

Clearly Philly got the best of us in that trade. All things considered, I'd be real happy if Vermeil let someone else handle things if we're considering an Eagle player since apparently he's unable to remove himself emotionally from that franchise. Case in point:

KAPALUA, Hawaii - When Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter flew to Kansas City to visit with the Chiefs after becoming an unrestricted free agent earlier this month, he got a passionate sales pitch from Dick Vermeil. But it wasn't quite the one he expected.

Vermeil, the Chiefs' coach, spent more time trying to talk the three-time Pro Bowler out of leaving Philadelphia than he did trying to convince him to sign with the Chiefs. "You know what I said to him?'' Vermeil said. "I said, 'Jeremiah, what are you doing here? First off, I'm an Eagles fan. My home is in

Philadelphia. My kids are there. My grandkids root for the Eagles if they're not rooting for the Chiefs. You don't want to leave there.'

"I said, 'Crimenee, you were there before and you came back because you missed [the Eagles]. You don't want to leave.' And he said, 'You're right. I don't want to leave. But they didn't pay me the first time, so I left. And if they don't pay me this time, I'm going to leave again.'

"I said, 'Well, we'd love to have you if you're determined to leave. But you've established yourself there. They're liable to be in the Super Bowl again next year. Go back and play middle linebacker for them.' ''

Trotter took Vermeil's advice. He called Eagles coach Andy Reid before he left Kansas City and told him it was time to work out a deal. The next day, Trotter signed a 5-year, $15 million deal with a $4 million signing bonus. Considerably less than the $6.5 million signing bonus the Giants gave Antonio Pierce, but enough to make him feel wanted.

Hoover · 03-29-2005, 10:32 AM

We can't change Dick, thats just the way he is.

If Bell stays healthy we got one hell of a deal. And if the front office can get Ty Law or Surtain, this has been a sucessful offseason. So I'm not going to Bitch.

keg in kc · 03-29-2005, 10:34 AM

That's too bad. We paid a lot to trade for a backup guard.

Brock · 03-29-2005, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoover

Its time for the Chiefs to move on.

On Welbourn moving back to Gaurd I think its great.

It's great because.........help me out here.

keg in kc · 03-29-2005, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brock Landers

It's great because.........help me out here.

I got nothin'.

whoman69 · 03-29-2005, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keg in kc

I got nothin'.

Because...we'll at least get something out of our wasted 5th and 3rd round picks.

TRR · 03-29-2005, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C-Mac

People forget(like Laz) that we got our 3rd back, so basically we got him for a 5th, but it is a crap shoot. Lew Bush and Carlton Gray still own the "one of the worst moves in recent memory" category.
Welbourn is a dang good respected guard that had played tackle also, ProBowl candidate with the Eagles. The Chiefs had a void when Tait left, so I too was glad he was traded for and I still think he will still be positive part of the Chiefs O-line. Maybe next year if Shields retires you wont feel as though those picks were a waste on Welbourn.

Problem is, the 3rd we got back is not tradeable, and where the 3rd is at, it's almost equivalent to a 2nd day pick, rather than a normal 3rd rounder.

A 3rd and a 5th would land us Surtain this offseason IMO. Instead, we have a backup guard. I like Welbourn...He's talented, but if we aren't going to play him at RT, the trade was worthless.

**The Bad Guy** · 03-29-2005, 10:52 AM

We traded a 3rd and a 5th for a guard.

Lovely.

03-29-2005, 02:17 AM
tk13 ... Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $1462500	Teicher: Welbourn moving back to guard http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/11253775.htm Welbourn will be heading back to guard By ADAM TEICHER The Kansas City Star The Chiefs traded with Philadelphia last year for John Welbourn hoping he could be a suitable replacement at right tackle for the departed John Tait. The move was a gamble in the sense that Welbourn had been a guard for most of his NFL career. The position change didn't go as smoothly as the Chiefs hoped, and they will move Welbourn back to guard, where he will serve as a backup to starters Brian Waters and Will Shields. “Will Shields hasn't told me 100 percent that he plans to return, though I think he will,” Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil said. “At the same time, John is just better equipped to play guard. Now, if it ends up that he's our best right tackle, he'll play right tackle.” Shields and Willie Roaf, who would both begin their 13th seasons this fall, indicated late last season that they would be back for 2005. The Chiefs have no shortage of candidates to be their new right tackle. Jordan Black, who started four games late last season, will probably get the first shot, but the Chiefs will also give a long look to Kevin Sampson. Chris Bober could also wind up with the job, but the Chiefs appear more comfortable with him as the backup to Casey Wiegmann at center. All three players are athletic and fit the Chiefs' right-tackle mold better than Welbourn, who is more physical than the others. The Chiefs sent this year's third-round pick to the Eagles for Welbourn. That pick otherwise could have been used to bridge the gap in trade talks between the Chiefs and Miami regarding cornerback Patrick Surtain. The Dolphins are asking for the Chiefs' second-round pick, and the Chiefs have reportedly offered a fourth-rounder. The Chiefs recently gained a third-round compensatory pick from the NFL to cover Tait's loss in free-agency, but comp picks can't be traded. Having the extra pick, however, could make the Chiefs more comfortable in trading their second-round choice. Injury updates The Chiefs have several players who ended last season on the injured-reserve list or are in various stages of rehabilitation. Here is a look at the progress of several key players: • Tight end Tony Gonzalez had foot surgery after the end of the season, but the Chiefs expect him to be ready for their June minicamp. • Halfback Priest Holmes should have no issues with the knee injury that cost him the last half of last season. He has told Vermeil he will continue to train at home in Texas rather than join the Chiefs for their offseason conditioning program, which started Monday. “Priest Holmes has always done what he's said he was going to do and been ready when he said he was going to be ready,” Vermeil said. “He tells me he's doing fine, so as far as I'm concerned he's doing fine.” Holmes may join the Chiefs when practices begin in May. • Wide receiver Marc Boerigter, who missed all of last season because of a knee injury, should be ready by training camp — and perhaps in time for minicamp. • The Chiefs expect linebacker Shawn Barber to begin training camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list. • Vermeil was hopeful but not definitive about linebacker Mike Maslowski, who missed the last season and a half because of knee ailments. “All reports are good,” Vermeil said. “He seems to be progressing nicely. But none of the medical people have said with definition when he'll be ready. Knowing Maslowski, you'd have to say he'll be ready for training camp.” Offseason program The Chiefs opened their offseason program with a team meeting and barbecue. The events provided a welcome break for Vermeil after a solid three months spent on player evaluation. “Sometimes when the players aren't around, you lose sight of the business you're in,” he said. “It's all about helping them be what they have the ability to be.”
Posts: 55,070

03-29-2005, 09:34 AM	#32
Hoover Rufus Dawes Jr. Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $1178179	Maz is like a dog on his last leg, its time to put him down.
Posts: 17,399

03-29-2005, 09:41 AM	#34
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $2778491 VARSITY	Maz is coming back? Cool. I think he's better than he's given credit for. __________________ I'm putting random letters here as a celebration of free speech: xigrakgrah misorojeq rkemeseit.
Posts: 141,864

03-29-2005, 10:06 AM	#36
KCFalcon59 MVP Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Topeka, Kansas Casino cash: $370000	If Maz has a place on this team it should be on special teams.
Posts: 6,764

03-29-2005, 10:21 AM	#37
Hoover Rufus Dawes Jr. Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $1178179	Its time for the Chiefs to move on. On Welbourn moving back to Gaurd I think its great. Its too bad he could not hold down the RT spot, but I'm excited to see Black become the man.
Posts: 17,399

03-29-2005, 10:25 AM	#38
HipHopper4Life Starter Join Date: Oct 2004 Casino cash: $10004900	Clearly Philly got the best of us in that trade. All things considered, I'd be real happy if Vermeil let someone else handle things if we're considering an Eagle player since apparently he's unable to remove himself emotionally from that franchise. Case in point: KAPALUA, Hawaii - When Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter flew to Kansas City to visit with the Chiefs after becoming an unrestricted free agent earlier this month, he got a passionate sales pitch from Dick Vermeil. But it wasn't quite the one he expected. Vermeil, the Chiefs' coach, spent more time trying to talk the three-time Pro Bowler out of leaving Philadelphia than he did trying to convince him to sign with the Chiefs. "You know what I said to him?'' Vermeil said. "I said, 'Jeremiah, what are you doing here? First off, I'm an Eagles fan. My home is in Philadelphia. My kids are there. My grandkids root for the Eagles if they're not rooting for the Chiefs. You don't want to leave there.' "I said, 'Crimenee, you were there before and you came back because you missed [the Eagles]. You don't want to leave.' And he said, 'You're right. I don't want to leave. But they didn't pay me the first time, so I left. And if they don't pay me this time, I'm going to leave again.' "I said, 'Well, we'd love to have you if you're determined to leave. But you've established yourself there. They're liable to be in the Super Bowl again next year. Go back and play middle linebacker for them.' '' Trotter took Vermeil's advice. He called Eagles coach Andy Reid before he left Kansas City and told him it was time to work out a deal. The next day, Trotter signed a 5-year, $15 million deal with a $4 million signing bonus. Considerably less than the $6.5 million signing bonus the Giants gave Antonio Pierce, but enough to make him feel wanted.
Posts: 71

03-29-2005, 10:32 AM	#39
Hoover Rufus Dawes Jr. Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $1178179	We can't change Dick, thats just the way he is. If Bell stays healthy we got one hell of a deal. And if the front office can get Ty Law or Surtain, this has been a sucessful offseason. So I'm not going to Bitch.
Posts: 17,399

03-29-2005, 10:34 AM	#40
keg in kc oxymoron Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: OP/KC/Whatever Casino cash: $9556299	That's too bad. We paid a lot to trade for a backup guard.
Posts: 58,682

03-29-2005, 10:52 AM	#45
The Bad Guy Scott Pioli Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: The Copacobana Casino cash: $9363645	We traded a 3rd and a 5th for a guard. Lovely. __________________
Posts: 23,212